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Hey friends,

First off, let me apologize for the delay in getting this week’s newsletter to you. I usually aim to hit your inbox every Saturday morning, but work got the better of me this week, and I couldn’t make it happen on time. Thanks for bearing with me—I really appreciate it.

The good news is that this extra time gave me a chance to refine some thoughts I’ve been excited to share about a topic that’s been on my mind lately: paint touches. These little moments might seem simple, but they’re the foundation of so much of what makes NBA offenses tick.

Now, I’m no analytics guru or coaching savant, but I love digging into this stuff, and I wanted to share what I’ve picked up. If you’ve got your own take or something to add, I’d love to hear it, too!

What Are Paint Touches, and Why Do They Matter?

In its simplest form, a paint touch is just what it sounds like: the ball enters the painted area, or the “key.” It could happen in a bunch of ways—a dribble drive, a lob to a rolling big man, or a crafty post-up. The idea is to get the ball into the most dangerous part of the floor.

Here’s the thing I find fascinating: paint touches seem to create a domino effect. When the ball enters the paint, defenses almost always have to react—help defenders step in, rotations start, and suddenly, the whole floor tilts. Even if the shot doesn’t come directly from that touch, it usually leads to something good:

• A high-percentage shot at the rim.
• A kick-out pass for an open three.
• A foul that sends someone to the line.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks second among all guards in paint points per game (13.6, seventh overall in the NBA) behind only De'Aaron Fox, articulated it perfectly in his interview with The Athletic:

What stands out to me is how Shai connects paint touches to identity. For a team like Oklahoma City Thunders, it’s not just a tactic—it’s who they are. They lead the league in drives per game, and you can see how that constant pressure shapes the way they generate open looks and high-quality shots.

But not every team uses paint touches the same way, which is what makes this so interesting.

How Teams Use Paint Touches Differently

As I’ve dug into this, I’ve realized there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to how teams generate and use paint touches. Some teams prioritize them as the foundation of their offense, while others use them more strategically.

OKC: The Master of Isolation Ball

I already mentioned Shai, but it’s worth repeating—he’s relentless. No team averages more drives per game than Oklahoma City (61.4 through 16 games, at least four more than any other team, per NBA stats). That creates so many opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Isolation basketball often gets a bad rap, but the truth is, it’s not inherently negative. It’s a skillful, strategic aspect of the game that can be highly effective in the right hands. Maybe I’ll dive deeper into this topic in a future piece.

Denver: A Passing Hub in the Paint

Then there’s Denver, where Nikola Jokić does something totally different. His paint touches aren’t about breaking down the defense with speed—they’re about manipulation. He catches the ball, draws attention, and then picks teams apart with passes to cutters or shooters. Watching Jokić operate in the paint is like watching someone conduct an orchestra.

Golden State: Paint Touches as a Gateway

Golden State’s approach is even more unique. Their offense isn’t designed to relentlessly attack the rim; instead, they use paint touches to keep the defense guessing. When Draymond Green catches the ball in the paint off a short roll, it’s usually a pass-first situation, setting up a shooter like Steph Curry relocating to the corner or other shooter curling around a screen.

Memphis: Transition Play

Fast breaks are basketball’s cheat code. Teams like the Memphis Grizzlies exploit transition opportunities to create paint touches before the defense even sets.

It’s so cool to see how different styles can make paint touches work in completely different ways.

The Chess Match: Defense vs. Paint Touch Offense

Defenses aren’t powerless against paint touches. In fact, stopping or mitigating their impact is a cornerstone of modern defensive strategy.

• Drop Coverage: Big men retreat into the paint during pick-and-rolls, inviting mid-range shots but deterring layups. While effective, it’s vulnerable to crafty scorers like Trae Young or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who thrive in floater range.
• Switching: Some teams use switches to keep the ball in front of them, preventing clean paths to the paint. This strategy minimizes the chaos caused by paint touches but requires elite one-on-one defenders to execute consistently.
• Zone Defense: The Miami Heat often deploy a 2-3 zone to shrink the floor, daring teams to beat them with perimeter shooting instead of driving into the paint. However, as Denver showed in the 2023 Finals, precision passing can pick apart even the most compact zones.

Ultimately, the goal for defenses isn’t necessarily to stop paint touches entirely—it’s to limit their ripple effects.

The Numbers Behind the Magic

I’ve also come across some interesting stats about paint touches. Here are a couple that stood out to me:

Research indicates a strong correlation between the number of paint touches and an increase in points scored per possession. For instance, data from University of Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program showed that their PPP (Points Per Possession) increased significantly with more paint touches:

• 0 Paint Touches: 0.88 PPP
• 1 Paint Touch: 1.6 PPP
• 2 Paint Touches: 1.26 PPP
• 3 Paint Touches: 1.5 PPP

This trend demonstrates that even a single paint touch can dramatically enhance scoring opportunities. The PPP increased because each Paint Touch created a rim finish or a defensive rotation that opened a space advantage for a catch and shoot 3.

Why I’m Hooked on This Idea

What really makes paint touches interesting to me is how they connect so many parts of the game. They’re about attacking, but they’re also about decision-making, teamwork, and execution. Watching how teams and players operate in the paint shows you just how much basketball is a game of split-second choices and cascading effects.

So that’s what I’ve been thinking about. I’m sure there’s way more to explore here—how different teams prioritize paint touches, what defenses can do to adapt, and how this all evolves as the game changes.

If you’ve got thoughts, ideas, or even questions about this, hit reply or let me know. I’d love to keep the conversation going!

Thanks for reading.

Jordan.